The best and worst jobs of 2013

CareerCast.com recently evaluated thousands of jobs and compiled a list of the top 10 best and top 10 worst jobs of 2013.

Jobs were reviewed on a wide range of aspects and categorized into four "core criteria": environment, income, outlook, and stress.

The information used to evaluate each job was collected from the U.S. Department of Labor and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), other governmental agencies, trade associations and private survey firms.

An actuary is someone who compiles and analyzes statistics and uses them to calculate insurance risks and premiums. People skilled in mathematics and statistics may find this to be a rewarding career path. In order to become an actuary, a person must pass a series of exams.

2nd best job: Biomedical engineer

BLS National Salary Median: $81,540

Projected Job Growth: 62%

Jobs Rated Score: 133

Biomedical engineers work closely with physicians, researchers, manufacturers, and sales associates. Other engineering disciplines are generally more specialized, which allows biomedical engineers to have more of a range of opportunities.

3rd best job: Software engineer

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BLS National Salary Median: $90,530

Projected Job Growth: 30%

Jobs Rated Score: 136

The field of computer technology is constantly changing. The latest trend in the field is cloud computing, and companies are in need of software engineers who are able to meet current technological demands.

4th best job: Audiologist

BLS National Salary Median: $66,660

Projected Job Growth: 37%

Jobs Rated Score: 140

Audiologists help patients address hearing and balance problems. Due to the aging Baby Boom generation, audiologists are expected to be in demand in the coming years. As technology for hearing is developed, audiologists will have more opportunities.

5th best job: Financial planner

BLS National Salary Median: $64,750

Projected Job Growth: 32%

Jobs Rated Score: 159

Financial planners have a variety of responsibilities, including addressing tax and insurance concerns and budgeting for old age and living expenses. As the Baby Boomers reach retirement age, financial planners will likely see an increase in career opportunities.

6th best job: Dental hygienist

BLS National Salary Median: $68,250

Projected Job Growth: 38%

Jobs Rated Score: 161

Opportunities in the dental field are expanding with technology, and expected to grow considerably by 2020. Skilled hygienists are expected to have a very competitive pay rate and flexible schedule.

7th best job: Occupational therapist

BLS National Salary Median: $72,320

Projected Job Growth: 33%

Jobs Rated Score: 166

Occupational therapists work with the injured or ill to speed rehabilitation. Their focus is on improving the daily lives of their patients, so there is a demand for their skills, especially within the aging population.

8th best job: Optometrist

BLS National Salary Median: $94,990

Projected Job Growth: 33%

Jobs Rated Score: 190

Because sight deteriorates due to age and strain, the work of an optometrist is especially beneficial as the U.S. population ages thanks to the Baby Boomers.

9th best job: Physical therapist

BLS National Salary Median: $76,310

Projected Job Growth: 39%

Jobs Rated Score: 199

Physical therapists provide rehabilitative guidance to patients overcoming a variety of ailments. They focus on improving their patients' ability to function, thus improving the quality of their lives. Physical therapists also look beyond physical movement to the psychological, emotional, and social well being of their patients.

10th best job: Computer systems analyst

BLS National Salary Median: $77,740

Projected Job Growth: 22%

Jobs Rated Score: 212

Network administration is expected to grow over the coming years as businesses move from hard copy files into digital forms of organization and storage. Computer systems analysts will be needed to assist companies in this transition and to maintain the network within a company.

Worst job of 2013: Newspaper reporter

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BLS National Salary Median: $36,000

Projected Job Growth: -6%

Jobs Rated Score: 1120

As more news platforms turn to digital media, print newspapers are expected to decline even further by 2020.

2nd worst job: Lumberjack

BLS National Salary Median: $32,870

Projected Job Growth: 4%

Jobs Rated Score: 1117

The inherent danger of working with heavy machinery in remote locations, coupled with low pay and poor job prospects, ranks lumberjack as one of the worst jobs of 2013.

3rd worst job: Enlisted military personnel

BLS National Salary Median: $41,998 (E-7, 8+ years experience)

Projected Job Growth: Varies

Jobs Rated Score: 1009

Men and women in the Armed Forces are routinely placed in dangerous situations. Enlisted military personnel was also ranked as the most stressful job in 2013.

4th worst job: Actor

Associated Press

BLS National Salary Median: $17.44/hour

Projected Job Growth: 4%

Jobs Rated Score: 995

Competition is fierce in the acting career path, and it is often difficult to earn a full-time wage as an actor. The BLS estimates that just 66,500 people work in the acting field full-time, although the Screen Actors Guilde-American Federation of Trad and Radio Artists [SAG-AFTRA] has membership in excess of 160,000.

5th worst job: Oil rig worker

BLS National Salary Median: $37,640

Projected Job Growth: 8%

Jobs Rated Score: 979

Working on an oil rig is risky and requires long hours at sea or in fields far from major cities. Sustainable energy technology will pose a threat to the oil rig worker's job market. Solar panel installation, for example, skyrocketed by 76% in 2012.

6th worst job: Dairy farmer

BLS National Salary Median: $60,750

Projected Job Growth: -8%

Jobs Rated Score: 976

Although dairy farmers provide a necessary service to food consumers, it is challenging work. Larger farms with streamlined production force smaller farms out of business, which results in an anticipated 8% decline in the profession by 2020.

Those in this profession have to care for anywhere from dozens to thousands of animals, which can make the environment unpleasant and possibly dangerous.

7th worst job: Meter reader

BLS National Salary Median: $36,400

Projected Job Growth: -10%

Jobs Rated Score: 975

Due to the advancements in remote meter reading, this career is one of the fastest to decline.

8th worst job: Mail carrier

BLS National Salary Median: $53,090

Projected Job Growth: -26%

Jobs Rated Score: 972

Technology is making a large portion of the mail carrier's job obsolete. With the development of e-mail, online greeting cards, and cloud networking, many things that were once sent in the mail are now done electronically.

9th worst job: Roofer

BLS National Salary Median: $34,220

Projected Job Growth: 18%

Jobs Rated Score: 971

As the economy takes a positive turn, the construction market will improve, creating more job prospects in the coming years. However, working long hours outside in possibly extreme heat or cold can be challenging, and pay is often low.

10th worst job: Flight attendant

BLS National Salary Median: $37,740

Projected Job Growth: 0%

Jobs Rated Score: 970

The BLS projects virtually no change in job prospects for flight attendants in the coming years, as airlines continue to consolidate and reduce staff. The job can be high stress and low pay, which makes it ones of the worst jobs of 2013.